The award-winning rPET honeycomb material (European Green Award in the Green Innovation Award category) developed by EconCore is being harnessed by the Formula Electric Belgium team for their Titan race car.
Formula Electric Belgium/EconCore
Formula Electric Belgium’s Titan race car features Econcore rPET honeycombs
Based on recycled PET material, the rPET honeycomb cores are made of recycled material sourced from non-food post-consumer and industrial PET waste streams. Due to its hugely advantageous mechanical performance, low weight and high temperature stability, rPET is the material of choice for a wide range of applications. One industry in particular where the mechanical properties and weight of a material solution can prove the difference between winning and losing is within motorsport.
EconCore’s rPET honeycomb cores are currently being used by Formula Electric Belgium within the front wings of their race car. The team of engineering students produced the front wing skin out of natural flax fibre. Last year, the team used carbon fibre reinforced composites for the skins of the wing profile and, in order to give the wings greater stiffness, they required aluminium stiffeners similar to those found in aerospace applications. Formula Electric Belgium substituted the aluminium stiffeners with rPET honeycomb to produce a lighter and more rigid sandwich panel.
For their front wing design, Formula Electric Belgium required a thermoplastic material as it would have to be thermoformed. For the thermoforming of the rPET cores, the Formula Electric Belgium team started with constant thickness to shape into the wing, using heated moulds to press the core into shape. Not only did the rPET honeycomb core find its place within the aerodynamics package, the entire undertray of the 220kg race car was also produced from EconCore’s rPET honeycomb cores.
By optimising the use of rPET honeycomb technology the Formula Electric Belgium team have been able to reduce the wing’s weight by 26 per cent compared to the same size wing from last year. The lightweight front wing component is also high in rigidity, capable of withstanding forces equivalent to almost 1,000 times its own weight. The Titan race car has undergone multiple tests within its various stages of development, under a three-point bending test the wing was capable of withstanding 46kg of force.
For the 2022 season, Formula Electric Belgium’s use of lightweight materials has enabled them to produce a race car which offers a total weight of only 220kg.
Throughout the development stages, EconCore worked closely with Formula Electric Belgium with full access to testing equipment to evaluate the strength of the material, which proved crucial to the entire development process.
Wouter Winant, Technical Manager at EconCore, said: “With the rPET honeycomb core, Formula Electric Belgium were able to produce a highly rigid, lightweight front wing component which weighed in at only 50 grams. And at the same time, this shows that achieving optimal performance is possible with sustainable materials.”
The Titan was showcased at the launch event on 24 May 2022 to more than 300 attendees, including Formula Electric Belgium partners and other Belgium University teams taking part in the Formula Student competitions. The next steps for the race car are to undergo testing and set-up sessions prior to the first competitive race in the Netherlands in July.
Karel Van Wambeke, Aerodynamics Engineer at Formula Electric Belgium said: “The rPET honeycomb core was an exciting and interesting material to work with and the entire EconCore team were enthusiastic in supporting us whilst we used their facilities. We can’t wait to put our hard work to the test.”